MP STF yet to hand over 1,200 Vyapam scam complaints to CBI

Hundreds of complaints related to Vyapam scam that were submitted to the Special Task Force (STF) by citizens across the state have not been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), whistle-blower Ajay Dubey has claimed.

Hundreds of complaints related to Vyapam scam that were submitted to the Special Task Force (STF) by citizens across the state have not been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), whistle-blower Ajay Dubey has claimed.

According to sources, around 1,200 complaints were submitted to the Special Task Force (STF) about the functioning of the Vyapam and the scam. The STF allegedly did not pay attention to them and while transferring the cases (FIRs) to the federal investigation agency, it also ‘forgot’ all about these complaints.

"The STF had itself sought complaints from the people when it was investigating the scam. An advertisement was published on behalf of the agency, seeking complaints about the Vyapam scam. The result was that nearly 1,200 complaints reached the STF, but they were never investigated," activist Ajay Dubey told HT.

The whistle-blower in the Vyapam scam, who has now written to the CBI urging the investigative agency to take over the complaints too, said: "The basic premise for demanding a CBI probe was that there was a lack of trust with the STF investigation. Now that the investigation has been transferred to the CBI, these complaints should have been handed over as well. The reason is that many of these complaints would be serious and genuine and may require registration of FIRs and thorough investigation."

Questioning the intention of the STF for 'hiding' the complaints, Dubey said, "The STF should have shared these (complaints) with the CBI… These are very important pieces of evidence. Many of them have possible political implications."

In the letter to CBI joint director RP Agarwal, (a copy of which is in possession with HT) the member of Transparency International said: "The complaints should be taken over for investigation by the CBI."

The STF officials remain incommunicado on the matter. When approached a CBI official, without wishing to be named, said: "The process for registration of FIRs is currently on and more than 100 FIRs have been taken over by us."

The STF and SITs working under it, had registered nearly 200 FIRs in the Vyapam scam, until the Supreme Court handed over probe to the CBI.